One of Conway’s favorite annual events, Toad Suck Daze, is right around the corner beginning on Friday May 1.
The festival has been a Conway tradition since 1982 and has been downtown for 30 years.
No matter how old you are, if it’s a yearly occurrence or you’ve never been, there is something for you.
Local restaurants and businesses will be featured alongside, live entertainment, fair games and more at Toad Suck Daze.
Toad Suck Daze is a year-long planning process, “There isn’t a time that we aren’t looking at or working on ideas for the festival,” Mary Margaret, Director of Toad Suck Daze and Events said.
The annual events World Championship Toad Races, Toad Suck 10K and 5K run and elementary schools signing in Toadal Kids Zone will return as normal.
There will be two new events this year in addition to the annual Toad Suck Daze events.
The two new events are the Toad Suck Classic swim meet and Hands on a Hyundai.
“[These events] are considered sanctioned events. This means that the event is organized by a 3rd party,” Margaret said. “Partnering with these events helps both groups differently depending on the event.”
The Hands on a Hyundai will be on April 30 at 12 p.m., at downtown Conway at the corner of Parkway and Oak.
“Hands on a Hyundai is a physical endurance competition in which contestants must keep one hand on a vehicle at all times. The final remaining contestant will win the vehicle,” according to the Toad Suck Daze website.
The Toad Suck Classic swim will be on May 2 at 9 a.m. at the Conway Community Center.
“ToadSuck is Conway, and Aqua Kids is Conway,” Shannon Helgerud, Vice President AquaKids said.
The Toad Suck Classic is open to all age ranges, there will be contests for age groups 10 years old and all the way to 60 plus.
In addition to the competition and fair games, festivalgoers can enjoy live music on the Kris Allen Stage Friday and Saturday night, as well as a community worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Zach Person will be performing Friday night at 7 p.m. and Mr. Sipp Missippi Blues Child at 8:30 p.m.
Mr. Sipp is a Grammy winning artist and was the artist of the first southern soul album to ever be nominated for a Grammy.
Mr. Sipp was born into a musical family.
“I have always believed in myself and in music. The older I got I believed more in my ability to create, produce and write music so I took my chances on me,” Mr. Sipp said.
“I am so excited to be coming into the area, I have heard of this festival for a while and I have been wanting to do it for a while,” Mr. Sipp said. “I am grateful that they selected me this year to be a part of it.”
Mr. Sipp will be releasing two more albums later this year.
Saturday on the stage there will be artist performing starting at 2:45 p.m.
The artists performing on Saturday are the band ‘Charlie Rock’, Zach Mackenize, Trey Pendley, Shane Proffit and Uncle Kracker.
Mackenzie will take the stage at 4:15 p.m.
“I started writing songs in my early twenties. I tried out for American Idol at 25 and made it to Hollywood, which really lit a fire under me,” Mackenzie said. “I started calling bars and restaurants and different places that had live music.”
Music and the appreciation for the art has always been a part of Mackenizes life.
She grew up in a church that emphasized special singing, specifically southern gospel, Mackenzie said.
Like many locals, Mackenzie grew up going to Toad Suck Daze.
“Getting to perform on an iconic stage at a pretty iconic event in front of a lot of people is a fun thought and we are going to have fun,” Mackenzie said.
Beyond the performances, the festival’s success relies heavily on the work of volunteers
“There are so many groups and organizations that help make Toad Suck Daze successful,” Margaret said. “There are around 60 committee members that are volunteers that work on the festival during the year and that weekend. Add to that around 200 people that volunteer during the weekend.”
Conway local Logan Geier will be volunteering at Toad Suck Daze, “I help set up anything they need. I got the opportunity because I knew someone that worked for the city and a scholarship was tied to it, so they recommended I do it.”
“When I’m not volunteering anymore I still plan on going to Toad Suck because it is such a staple of Conway life,” Geier said. “I just enjoy going and seeing the people of Conway all come together over an event like Toad Suck.”
The community of Conway and the surrounding cities is what keeps Toad Suck Daze alive.
“The best way the community of Conway supports Toad Suck Daze is by coming out to enjoy the festival,” Margaret said. “People still attending and enjoying the festival allows us to continue to do Toad Suck Daze.”
Toad Suck Daze will be on Friday May 1 – Sunday May 3 and for more information visit the Toad Suck Daze website.
